Vancouver Whitecaps’ Argentine midfielder Matias Laba clears the ball during the Major League Soccer game at Toronto’s BMO Field on Wednesday July 16, 2014. The teams battled to a 1-1 draw.

Photograph by: Chris Young
, THE CANADIAN PRESS

At least four times in the first 60 minutes at BMO Field, Toronto FC had terrific opportunities on close-in free kicks. One diving David Ousted save off Toronto FC’s Michael Bradley and some poorly taken kicks by the Reds allowed the Caps to escape unscathed.

But when Nigel Reo-Coker clattered into big Brazilian winger Jackson just (italics) inside (end italics) the box in the 63rd minute, the foul would be costly.

Although Jackson, who had given Vancouver defenders trouble all game, went to ground rather easily with his arms flailing, the Caps’ veteran midfielder made no contact with the ball and referee Allen Chapman had little choice but to point to the penalty spot.

Jermaine Defoe’s cheeky hesitation strike into the bottom left corner allowed Toronto to tie the game 14 minutes after Vancouver had opened the scoring and denied the Caps (6-4-8) the opportunity to pick up three points on the road against a hot Reds’ squad that has lost just once in the last nine.

“We gave away a penalty, I’d like to see the play again (on video) . . . but it would have been nice to hold onto that lead,” said midfielder Russell Teibert.

Vancouver coach Carl Robinson said later he had seen a replay and still didn’t know if it was a penalty.

“But the boy had gone over a number of times before that and I didn’t think they were fouls.”

It may well turn out to be a valuable single point in the tight Western Conference, but the 1-1 draw left Vancouver just 1-2-2 since the two-week break in MLS play for the World Cup group stage.

“I think it was a very, very good performance,” said Robinson, whose club is at least defending better that it did earlier in the season. “On another day, we could have taken three points. The penalty call let them back in the game . . . but I thought we managed the game very well today.”

With a game Saturday at Real Salt Lake, the Caps third in eight days, Robinson “freshened up” his lineup by giving Nigel Reo-Coker his first start in midfield in three months and inserting Teibert on the left.

Teenager Sam Adekugbe started at left fullback for the suspended Jordan Harvey and played a strong game. And Robinson also started Darren Mattocks and Erik Hurtado as twin strikers in a 4-4-2 diamond midfield alignment.

Mattocks did score in the 50th minute off a brilliant low pass into the box from Teibert. The play was set up when centre back Johnny Leveron coolly intercepted a ball at midfield and got the ball to playmaker Pedro Morales.

Morales found Teibert free on the left and as he got just inside the box, he cut a ball back along the ground, threading it through a sea of Reds’ defenders to Mattocks. The Jamaican first-timed it into the net from eight yards out for his third goal of the season, but first since April 19.

"It was a fantastic pass," said Mattocks. "Russell deserves all the credit for that goal. For him to pick out a pass like that, it's really amazing."

It was, however, Mattocks' only real chance of the game. Toronto defensive midfielder Collen Warner and young Canadian centre back Doneil Henry, did a solid job, particularly in the first half of shutting down Mattocks and Hurtado with a handful of well-timed slide tackles.

The first half was fairly even through the first 35 minutes before Toronto began to assert itself, with Bradley and Warner taking control in midfield,

The Reds looked to have scored in the 41st minute when Defoe tapped the ball away from a prone Ousted after the ‘keeper made a great save off a deflected Luke Moore shot. But Defoe was ruled offside.

Despite some extended possession and good buildup, the Caps never did get an actual shot on goal as the big, physical Henry was terrific at keeping Mattocks and Hurtado from turning on him and muscling past.

The Caps were better in the second half, although other than the Mattocks goal, they never seriously tested Toronto goalkeeper Joe Bendik.

“We conceded a soft goal again,” lamented Toronto coach Ryan Nelsen. “I think they had only a couple of shots on target the whole game.”

The Reds had two glorious chances late to get the win, but Nick Hagglund headed a long free kick into the box from Bradley a few yards over the bar in the 89th minute.

In stoppage time, Brazilian forward Gilberto had an even better chance at the back post on a crisp, short cross from Defoe. But he couldn’t quite get up high enough to knock the ball down and his glancing header went just inches over the bar.

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